WOKINGHAM CLUBS JOIN FORCES

The partnership between Reeves Rangers Football Club, a purely youth set-up, and Emmbrook Sports and Social Club, a predominantly senior club, will make the progression from youth to senior football much smoother for the stars of the future.

It also means many of Reeves Rangers' players now have a home of their own — after more than 25 years of moving from pitch to pitch.

And no one could be more pleased than Mark Ashwell, managing director of TradeMark Windows, who has actively promoted youth sport in the Bracknell and Wokingham area for several years.

"I am delighted for both clubs, what they are doing together makes a lot of sense and will benefit a lot of local young boys and girls," said Mr Ashwell, whose company is the main sponsor for both clubs and who helped get the arrangement off the ground.

The partnership was prompted by improvements to the main Emmbrook pitch which means it can be played on more often. Previously only Emmbrook's three senior teams have played there during the winter. Now four Reeves Rangers teams will be able to play all their home fixtures there as well.

And the two clubs are working together to improve the rest of the Emmbrook ground so it can also accommodate four or five junior pitches.

The clubs will keep their own identities as they will continue to play under their own names. But it has been agreed that both teams will wear the famous Reeves Rangers' blue and white hoops with the TradeMark Windows name on the front, providing a corporate image on the pitch.

They will boast a joint membership of over 400.

Reeves Rangers has teams from under-7 to under-18 in the Hicks Development League, East Berks Junior 7-a-side Association, Bracknell Boys Football League and the Vale and District Girls' League.

The club was founded in 1975 by Terry Hopkins who came up with the name because he was an avid Queens Park Rangers' fan and lived on Reeves Road. Traditionally, Reeves has played its home matches at Elizabeth Road. However, as the club has expanded over the years, it has had to find pitches elsewhere. This has meant that teams from the same club have had to play at Chestnut Avenue, Sandford Park, Cantley Park and Woodford Park.

The club had a very successful season last year with several of its sides winning their divisions. Champions included the under-17s, under-13s and under-11s.

With such talented youngsters playing for the club, it has always been a shame that there has been no senior team for them to progress to. Players have either given up football altogether or been forced to find a different club if they wanted to carry on playing.

The merger with such an established senior club as Emmbrook will benefit Reeves' players, giving them openings into the game as they get older. Members of the same team who worked well together at junior level will be able to stick together when they get to senior level instead of having to go in cold to another club.

Emmbrook will benefit from bringing new lifeblood into its club. It will be able to keep an eye on talented young Reeves players and pick and choose from them when they get old enough for senior football. And the Rangers will be able to use the Emmbrook clubhouse for meetings and social events.

Emmbrook was founded in 1918 when its ground was at Toutley Road. It moved to its Lowther Road location in 1930 and now has three senior football teams, two that play on Saturday and one on Sunday, in leagues in Reading and Bracknell.

Welcoming the partnership, Reeves' chairman, Neil Stairmand, said it would make a huge difference to his club.

He said: "The intention is to allow both clubs to re-focus on their commitment to provide the best facilities possible for youth sport. It won't happen overnight but the initial improvements are in place.

"To know that in a year or two we should be able to have all our teams based at Emmbrook is absolutely fantastic."

Both clubs have repaired a three-year business plan. Having upgraded the main pitch, they are aiming to make other ground improvements so they can install junior pitches. There are also plans for all-weather training facilities and clubhouse improvements.

"We have formed a joint committee and selected experts who have produced a report on what needs to be done", said Emmbrook spokesman Keith Woodman.

The improvements are subject to money being available but the two clubs expect to be able to get a grant from the Football Foundation.